


Spirit of the Wolf

by invisible_nerd_girl



Category: Spirit - Fandom, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Full Shift Werewolves, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-22 00:07:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14925609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_nerd_girl/pseuds/invisible_nerd_girl
Summary: Derek is living with his pack when some strange humans take him away from home. Now he has to find his way home after finding his Omega.





	1. Hunters!

Derek trotted around the forest, thinking about nothing in general as he scouted. There weren’t any other werewolves in the near territory, and the newest additions to the forest was a small encampment of humans. They met the humans when they first arrived, agreeing with their leaders to stay separate and not hunt each other. 

At the moment there was one wondering around the area, apparently lost. It was female, still on the younger side but she didn’t smell like anyone from the encampment. He slowed his paws and frowned. She was calling out to her family, but they weren’t answering her. He followed behind her, thinking only about getting her attention so she would go back home and get out of his forest. He had his pack to protect. 

“Oh?” The women turned and spotted him sitting there. “Do you know the way back to camp? They said wolves aren’t feared around here.” 

Derek didn’t say anything, just jerked his head in the right direction. She smiled at him, but it was more predatory than anything he ever seen on a human face. She raised a gun and shot him. Derek staggered back in shock, glancing down at the wound, which wasn’t deep, but wasn’t healing before he bolted. His head started to spin and he could hear at least four humans rushing toward the evil female. His wound burned with every lunging step his took but he couldn’t stop. 

Instead, he threw his head back and howled as he ran. He staggered, making his way up river. The water had flowed so long that there was a ten-foot drop to the water, and he was stuck on the bottom. Usually he would have no difficulty clearing it and moving on but with the poisoned bullet in his body he was weakening by the second. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the humans gaining on him and realized it was his only chance. 

“Derek!” One of his younger cousins screamed from the top of the cliff, trying to make her way down. She had just turned ten so he wolf was far from fully grown. 

“Run! Don’t come down, just get away from here!” He snarled at her but she didn’t listen. He panicked when he heard one of the humans start laughing, knowing that they spotted her. “I said RUN!” He charged up the cliff face and slammed into her, throwing her clear of the second bullet. It buried itself in his lower back and his hind legs gave out. 

“Derek?” She cried as he slithered back down the cliff, no longer able to move his legs to shove his way back up. The burst of energy that came from protecting his little cousin was overwhelmed by the wolfbane in the bullets. He tried to shift back so he could put up more of a fight when one jumped him, wrapping a collar around his neck. He jerked back but found that his transformation was being blocked. 

“Get the horses!” The oldest man called as the young women and the younger man picked him up. Derek found that he couldn’t even lift his head to growl at them as they threw him roughly over the back of a horse and tied him down. Seconds later all the horses were racing away from his family. He opened his jaws to howl but the darkness closed around his mind.   
=============================================================================  
Derek felt his shoulders dragging along the ground, still numb from the hips down but the pulling of his muscles proved that they were being dragged behind him. He pried his eyes open to see he had slipped off the horse, his paws tangled in the rope. His body was healing itself slowly, like it was exhausted but he knew he was lucky that the horses were only going at a slow trot. 

“He’s awake.” He heard the women laugh low and he bared his teeth at her. “He’s a feisty one, isn’t he?” 

“He’ll learn to behave.” The oldest hunter commented dully. Derek snapped in anger, digging his front paws into the ground. Hours passed as he tried to break free or just be a general nuisance on the hunters, tiring out the horse by pulling against it with what strength he had. His hind legs started to work again and while he was grateful, one leg was broken from the fall and healing slow from the wolfbane in his system. 

“Doesn’t matter.” The man spoke in a unemotional voice. His head bowed over his horse in what looked a lot like misery. He glanced back at him with a strange look on his face but then shook his shoulders and faced forward again. “Do you think that the others are like him? That pup?” 

“Good thinking son. Yes, they are probably like him and should be captured or killed. Whatever is easiest.” The oldest man beamed at the man. The women scowled at her saddle but remained silent. 

Days passed this way. His body healing the wounds as he was dragged across a desert. He tried to fight against the ropes and the horse but he hadn’t the strength to keep his paws moving or even under him. He didn’t sleep much, for obvious reasons as the nights came and went. When his fourth dawn struck, he was barely able to keep his eyes open. He was miserable and lost, his body and heart aching in a way he didn’t even know was possible. 

“We’re here!” The women, Kate, cheered as a large building came into light. He held his breath as he was pulled through the massive gates that smelled like they were soaked in mistletoe and wolfsbane. He could tell there were other wolves in the area, but they were all giving off scents of utter misery. 

“Get him in a proper collar and send him to the Bishop for a cleaning.” The man in charge, Gerard, commanded, swing off his horse and nodding as men surrounded him. The last man in charge, Chris, dismounted and grabbed the horse that was pulling Derek along. 

“I got that, brother. Why don’t you go visit your family and explain to your daughter why she isn’t crazy for seeing one of these ordinary wolves stand up on two legs and rip Charles throat out.” Kate spoke sweetly as she grabbed the reins from him and lead the horse forward. 

“I have yet to decide if this is the life meant for her.” Chris snapped at her and Derek found himself watching him as he was dragged away, arching his eyebrow at him. The man stared at him, his face cold and impassionate yet there was a tenseness in his shoulders that wasn’t from riding a horse for three days straight. 

“You’re just lucky that cloaking spell worked or we’d be dealing with his entire pack right now.” Kate called over her shoulder and Derek nearly sobbed. His family wouldn’t be able to follow them if they had a cloaking spell. It could take moons, and they might go back for seconds. 

“Good morning Miss.” A large man wearing a leather apron with his sleeves rolled up and a grim frown dipped his head to the women, who beamed back like a predator. 

“I like this one. I might even keep him for myself, so don’t break him to much for me. I want to do it myself.” She handed off the reins and bounced off. The man scowled after her before pulling the horse forward more but froze when he finally looked at Derek. 

“What the fuck?” Bishop hissed as he looked up and down the ropes. Derek raised his eyebrows the best he could in his wolf form and bared his teeth. Bishop unwrapped the binds from the horse and handed him off to a helper before he turned back to him. The binds dropped down but didn’t loosen. He tried to kick out and free his paws so he could run for it. 

“Don’t even bother” he bent over and tried to grab the collar digging into the fur of his neck. Derek spun and snapped his teeth, barely clipping his gloves. Bishop glowered down at him before he turned back to his table. HE fiddled around, then spun and slashed him with a knife. Derek snarled but grit his teeth against the pain. He expected that it would heal after a few seconds. It didn’t. It continued to bleed and he slowly felt his head roll back as he fell limp. The Bishop waited patiently, whipping the knife off before unraveling the ropes binding his paws. 

“You know, they’d kill me if I cut the rope every time yet they tangle it up with every wolf.” The man muttered under his breath as he grabbed his collar and dragged him across to a tub. A few men appeared and lifted him in. 

“Do you need one of us to hold his head?” a younger one asked and Bishop shook his head. Derek groaned as the tub was filled. The water was like ice and after a while he started to slip under. He took a massive breath just before his nose went under and held it. It was difficult not to let go and die just out of spite. Holding his breath was harder from being paralyzed so bubbles of air kept slipping out past his lips as water trickled in. Before he could fully make up his mind about letting go, he was lifted back up. 

“Now, are you going to behave wolfy?” Bishop asked calmly as he dumped some powder into the water. Derek wrinkled his lip at the sharp scent and the man let go of the collar, causing him to sink back down. The powder dissolved around him and stung his eyes as his lungs started to scream for air. A hand pulled him back up. A rope was tied behind his ears to his collar before it was wrapped around his muzzle and tied it off so he wouldn’t go under again. 

“Now we get him cleaned up for the miss.” Bishop muttered more to himself as he started scrubbing. He cleaned the dirt and blood from his shoulders before he ran a comb through. Derek was sure he would enjoy himself if his eyes were clean of soap and he wasn’t being held captive. All the tangles and blurs that gathered over the course of his capture were worked out of his fur, his paws cleaned of the grit and thorns. 

“I want him dried off and chained up. A cup of water but no food until the Miss says so” Bishop commanded when he was done, pulling the knots out so Derek slid under again. His laugh sounded rough through the water the covered Derek’s head and he nearly sobbed in relief when he was hauled out of the water onto a wagon. He was to exhausted move as they stretched him out in the sun and shoved a small bowl of water by his muzzle before he was tied down. His eyes fluttered shut and he let his mind drift.


	2. Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek goes through training.

When Derek awoke, he was staring into the eyes of Kate. She grinned slow when he stared at her and sat up. His mouth was dry, and his stomach ached from the lack of food, making his lick his lips. He shrank away from her as she started to pet him, running her fingers through the fur around his neck, making him shudder. 

“Oooo, all flustered?” She purred, and he snarled low. She was touching him like a potential mate would. She reared away from him with a sneer and stood. Derek watched her retreating back the best he could before he pressed his face into the bowl. It was empty. He groaned and dragged his paws under him, preparing to stand. 

“Just where do you think you’re going?” Kate was back, grabbing the rope tied to his collar and jerking his head up. He glared at her, pressing away from her. “Time to see how you’ll train.” She tugged again, and he pulled back a paw, slashing out quick and ripping a gash into her thigh. Derek blinked in shock before spinning away. His paws untangled from the ropes, he fled toward the massive gates. He wasn’t sure if he could make it with the women screeching behind him but he prayed they would pay more attention to her than to him. 

“No you don’t.” Gerard voice was accompanied by a gun shot. Agony ripped from his shoulder as he was hit. The poison caused his legs to go limp under him and he collapsed to the ground. Chris wondered over with a bored look on his face. “Tie this one up.”

“And the others?” Chris asked but his father was already moving off. Derek glowered at the man as he grabbed a hind leg and started to drag him to a post. He didn’t seem at all bothered by the crowd that gathered around Kate. He tied the ropes up and moved off. Derek wished that he could move the crick out of his neck, but everything was numb. He had no choice but to watch. 

The day progressed, and different wolves were pulled out of cages along the wall. His captures were the bosses of the place, though there were several trainers who worked with the wolves. Derek bared his teeth at the way they were made to walk and sit on command. He was well aware of the curious looks the wolves kept shooting him when the humans weren’t watching. Derek closed his eyes, hating the feeling of his humanity slipping away as hunger and desperation settled in. He managed to sit up halfway through the day and clean is wounds, glaring at any creature that eyed him.

On the second day of being tied to the post, he watched the hunters bring in a woman. One sniff told him she wasn’t like the other humans. He could tell by the way they dragged her forward that they knew she was odd. The humans talked among themselves for a second before tying her up to a post near him. He lifted his head and cocked it to the side as the humans moved off. She peered at him out of the corner of her eye before smirking. 

“You caught a Hale?” She batted her eyes at a passing human who paused what he was doing, staring blankly at her. Derek reared his head back in shock before snapping his teeth in warning. She didn’t look phased, but it shook the man out of his daze. 

“It’s none of your business, Banshee!” The man got in her face with a satisfied smirk, which fell after a few seconds when it didn’t have it’s intended effect. She gave him an unimpressed look and he shrank back. “I have work to do.” 

“They don’t like the strong minded around here, do they?” she flashed a smile at him and he arched an eyebrow at her. Before she said anything else, Gerard started to approach. He didn’t give a second glace at the Banshee and he leaned over to observe Derek. 

“You ready to listen to us yet, or do you need some more training?” He asked slowly like he was speaking to a child. Derek glared at him before the Banshee caught his attention. She gave him the smallest nod and he let his gaze drop, unsure why he was letting her take the lead. 

The hunter leaned back slightly with a pleased grunt and waved his hand. Several men walked over and one grabbed his rope, dragging him to his paws. Derek resisted the urge to attack him as he was lead away from the post and into the middle of the clearing. The banshee watched him closely before giving the smallest nod to the cages. The wolves were staring at him in horror as he let himself be moved, slowly bowing their heads as he passed. 

“Dad. I wanted that one” Kate raced up with a limp, but the man threw his arm out, catching her against her chest. She gasped for breath for a second, backing away with a scowl. Gerard grabbed the rope and looked down at him. Derek didn’t pay much attention to him, instead focusing on the Banshee, who was taking a massive breath. He glanced up with a challenge in his eyes before he slammed his paws over his ears and the screams started. He could barely hear the men hollering in pain as he spun. 

He saw that the banshee was already free, using a knife she stole from the man and he took off to the cages. He grabbed the lock of the first one in his teeth and pulled. It came loose instantly, and a pale white wolf scrambled out. She gazed at him for a second before running to a different cage to pull it open. Derek and the white wolf quickly freed more wolves, who turned around and started freeing the rest. It was only a few heartbeats before every wolf was out of their cage. 

“This way!” The banshee called, waving them toward the massive gates that were trying to close. Without thinking about it, Derek took the lead and raced forward, the pack falling behind him with challenging howls. Bishop stood between the two doors and glared at them. The scene was so hilarious to Derek that he let out a barking laugh, enjoying the scent of utter terror that came from the man as they didn’t slow. Derek leaped and slammed against his chest, his paws digging in as the human flew backwards. The landing was rough and he skidded across the desert with Derek sitting on his chest. 

“Ha.” The banshee whooped as she ran. All but two wolves broke away from them. Derek jumped off and ran straight for home. The banshee and the two remaining wolves kept pace with him, making him realize he was far from going full speed. One of the wolves, the white female from before, threw her head back and howled, low and long. Derek rolled his eyes as the banshee and the second wolf joined in, his dark head tilted toward the female. 

Then he saw the third wolf. The omega was a soft brown color with random darker dots speckling his fur, his long legs stretching out as he loped along to join them. Derek twisted his head around, unable to stop staring as the Omega gazed back with bright, round eyes. He turned forward just in time to trip over a small bush and skid to a stop on his chest, his hunches lifting off the ground from his speed. The Omega slowed to a trot around him, making a soft wolf version of laughter as he leaned forward to lick Derek’s cheek. Derek felt heat travel through him, though he tried telling himself it was embarrassment and not the fact that the Omega was standing over him with a concerned tilt of his head. 

“Don’t worry Stiles. He’s strong. He’ll just need rest.” The banshee patted the wolf on his head and he turned to press his muzzle against her hand. Derek jerked his head up and stood, shaking off the dirt with a huff, attempting to not look annoyed at their affection. He wasn’t going to act like a possessive Alpha over an Omega that wasn’t his. He was better than that. 

The Omega slid under his shoulder and Derek shamelessly leaned against him. He wanted to get home to his family, but that meant nothing if he could barely walk in a straight line and they seemed friendly. The white wolf brushed her muzzle across the Omega’s ears and the large dark wolf followed her nudged his shoulder, both bounding forward. The banshee gave him a nod as she trailed after them. The Omega huffed at them though it didn’t have much anger. Derek breathed in the sweet scent and willingly followed. 

=============================================================================  
Derek woke again, the sun shining in his face and a pounding in his head. He rolled over to see he was in a tent. He vaguely recalled arriving at a camp full of them, people and wolves running to meet them but the Omega moving off to the tent he was in. He fell asleep to the wolf cleaning his face. He pulled himself to his paws and peeked out the flap. The Omega was suddenly in front of him, obviously trying to get in but they managed to stop just in time for their noses to be pressed against each other. Derek blinked before quickly scrambling away, the tent flap falling back to block his view of the wolf.

After a couple of frantic heartbeats, the Omega slid into the tent. His head hung in a shy and embarrassed manner but his eyes where full of mischievous laughter. Derek huffed and turned his back on him. He heard a faint whine from behind him before he felt a nip on his tail. He spun around and snarled but the Omega was sitting calmly with his head cocked expectantly to the side. A second later it was a man. 

“I think you need to lighten up. Come on. You’re safe here and you need a little longer to heal.” The man grinned as he swung to his feet and grabbed a pair of pants that were tossed on the floor. Derek tilted his head back to glare at him as he pulled them on and reach outside the tent. “If you want to be a grouch then I guess I can just eat this by myself.” He pulled out a large hunk of meat and dropped it in front of him. Derek felt his mouth instantly fill with drool and he dropped to a crouch, taking a massive bite. 

“Whoa!” the Omega gasped, pulling his hands back even though they were no where near the meat. He ignored the soft look he got as he watched. The Omega pulled out a canteen and dumped it into a bowl, placing it on the ground next to him. 

“I’m sorry” the grin finally slipped when Derek wrinkled his nose at him. “They won’t let me take the collar off.” The genuine misery in his eyes made Derek stop glaring and turn away. “I’m sorry, but Alpha’s are rare here since the Argents started capturing them. They take others, but they love an Alpha. Something about taming the wild, turning them into slaves.” The man shuttered and turned his head away. “Both my parents were Alpha’s. They didn’t make it through training” Derek blinked at him, unaware that an Omega could sound so…deadly. The way he spoke of training made Derek’s stomach turn and he leaned up and licked a long line across the mans chin, leaving a faint smear of blood. 

“Ew” The banshee poked her head in and Derek growled low. He grabbed the meat and walked over to the back of the tent where he dropped it. “He’s a peach.”

“I don’t think he’s eaten in a while” The man whipped the blood off his chin that Derek got on him before shooting a frustrated look at the banshee. Derek ignored them both as he carefully pulled the bowl of water to his new spot. He almost sat down, taking a few laps as he mulled over logic and instincts. The banshee brushed against the Omega as she sat down near the entrance after shooting Derek what was a look that clearly defined what she would do to him if he stepped out of line. He snapped. 

Strolling back over, he ducked and head butted the Omega’s shoulder. The man grunted in surprise as he tried to lean away. Derek huffed and grabbed the mans hand in his jaws as gently as he could. He purposely walked back to his spot, sitting with his back to the banshee and a paw over the mans lap so he wouldn’t move back. The man grumbled and growled but didn’t object with words, only the occasional swat when Derek growled at the Banshee. 

“Alright then, I say he’s sane as he can think about hating me. Don’t know why he would want to hang with you though.” Derek caught the banshee tapping her finger on her chin when he glared at her over his shoulder.

“Doesn’t that say a lot about you hanging out with me?” The Omega asked sweetly, and he couldn’t hide his chuckle. Deciding to try and ignore her, he went back to his meal. Their voices drifted around his head, the man’s oddly soothing to him. Once the meal was finished, he yawned and tried to drink as much of the water as he could manage. His head felt like it was underwater again, and he let it fall. Derek was aware of the hands running over his ears and scratching the fur clinched under his collar, so he rumbled in delight and rolled closer before he drifted off.


	3. Falling of hopes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek recovers but he struggles with his instincts about his stubborn mate;

“So here’s the deal. You prove that you aren’t going to be aggressive to the Alpha’s that still live in the village, and to Lydia, who is the Banshee that you growled at and tried to steal me from or save me from. Whichever it was, she’s not happy with you.” Stiles trotted next to him in his wolf form. It took Derek less than a minute to connect so they communicate with more than grunts and growls with the Omega and he finally wiggled a name out of him. Lydia had tied them together, confidant that Stiles would keep Derek in line. He would never admit that it was becoming true. “Scott’s like a brother to me, but that can really go anyway since he’s all hormonal right now.” 

“Why should I care? I can travel faster to get home as a wolf.” Derek kept dropping hints that he needed to leave but it only made Stiles cling harder to him. 

“Well, the Argents are everywhere in the desert from here to there. This field is nice, and there are the trees and the river, so we can stay here for a little while longer before they loose interest in you and move on. They really want Lydia. She’s the only banshee on the continent, or that’s what they said when they first saw her. That’s why is was so easy for her to break everyone out.” Stiles kept his face forward, but his tail hit the ground in his disappointment. Derek turned forward and grit his teeth, once again fighting against logic and instincts. He knew he couldn’t leave Stiles, his mate, but he needed to go home, and Stiles would refuse to leave. 

“How long?” he stopped when a small child stumbled into his path and fell hard. Without thinking, he scooped it up by the back of it’s shirt and set it back on it’s feet before licking its cheek. The child threw her arms around his neck and he tucked his muzzle down to hug her back. 

After a few seconds she pulled back with a giggle and tottered off on unsteady legs. Derek watched her go, thinking about all the little pups in his pack and how much he wanted one of his own later in life when he realized Stiles was staring at him with adoration in his eyes. Derek snorted, turning away and shaking his fur out to try and look unruffled by the encounter. 

“All you have to do is show the people that you aren’t a threat. I know you wouldn’t hurt any of us, but they don’t know you.” Stiles finally pleaded, and Derek rolled his eyes. He didn’t have to prove anything to anyone. Once he could get a grip on his own urges, he would leave. 

He turned and walked away from the tents, only breaking into a run when he reached the open field as he made his way to the forest. The rope made it so the Omega was forced to follow. Derek almost felt like he was running with his pack again until the wolf tripped and caused the rope to snap taunt. He spun around and lunged, grabbing the rope in his jaws. He paused for a heartbeat when he locked eyes with the Omega, waves of embarrassment came from the form that was tangled in the rope, it’s front paws sticking in the air while he was stuck on his back. He dropped the rope and stalked toward his new prey, toward his Omega.

“Derek, I know what you’re thinking, and this isn’t the best time for it. They’ll think you forced me or something. Alpha’s are stupid like that” Stiles prattled as he scrambled backward, his paws churning up leaves and Derek paused. He was talking sense, but he could see it. He slowly lowered himself onto his stomach and looked up, trying to take everything in as he tried to show his mate that he wasn’t a threat. “Oh Der, maybe just a little…” Stiles trailed off, his jaw hanging open as Derek swung forward until he was standing over him and pressing his face against his neck, breathing deep. “Just a little” 

“Yes my mate” Derek muttered against his flesh before nipping. Just enough to break the skin, leaving a mark that showed that he was his. Stiles let out a yelp before turning his head and tucking against Derek’s neck, snuffling as he tail beat against Derek’s hind legs. He couldn’t help wagging his own when he felt the teeth against his neck, making a mark of his own. 

Derek could feel the strain cracking his resolve when a large wolf flung him away from Stiles. Derek ducked his head down and growled in warning as the Alpha did the same, turning his back on the Omega and kicking so Stiles tumbled over. The rope snapped, and Derek glanced down at it. The Alpha took his chance and jumped, his jaws nearly closing around Derek’s neck, but he pulled back in time. Derek shoved him off easily and spun, ready for a second attack when Stiles scrambled between them.

“Scott! Stop!” The Omega had his back to Derek, facing the strange Alpha head on. “What’s gotten into you?” 

“He’s dangerous.” The Alpha stated, his eyes never leaving Derek as he prowled closer. Derek stared back but the horror of what he did made him start backing away. He shook his head, thinking back to when his mother told him that mates were important, and it was obvious to him. The Omega had chosen already. He had no right to be looking and acting toward him like he did, now matter how much Derek wanted him. He already had a mate in the Alpha in front of him.

He bolted. Running as fast as his paws could carry him. Now that he was no longer tied to the clutzy Omega he could weave through the trees and be gone. He could hear the sounds of Stiles trying to follow him and the Alpha stopping him. Howls ripped through the air, calling him back to the tents and breaking his heart. He slowed his paws until he was standing still, his head bowed in his shame. He couldn’t answer. It would be better for the both of them. He managed to take a step forward when the howls turned into terrified wails for help. Others joined in, some in warning, some filled in fear and desperation while others were a call to battle, full of challenge as gun shots rang out. 

“STILES!” Derek cried out. It took to long, yet he barely remembered moving for him to reach the tents. It was ciaos. The Argents men were running about trying to capture who ever they could, some on horses and some attacking on foot. The people and were’s ran for their lives. Those who fought were merely causing a distraction for the others to escape. 

“They have Lydia!” The interrupting Alpha called into the crowd and Derek gasped, spotting his Omega through the smoke from a fire. The wolf was running flat out toward the river. He sped after, fighting a cough after veering to close to a fire, and burst out of the cover of the tents to see Stiles collide into a horse with two figures on top. The horse bucked wildly while Stiles clawed his way up.

“You useless little…” Kates voice came from one to the figures and Derek felt his paws unfreeze from the ground. The hunter pulled a gun and shot off several rounds, spooking her horse more but effectively throwing Stiles off into the river. 

Derek fought for control as the scent of his mates blood reached him. Lydia and Kate fell as the horse reared back to far and he lunged forward. He caught the Banshee, pulling her out of the way of the collapsing horse just before it hit the ground. An agonized scream went up, sending a thrill through him as he caught a glimpse of the hunter pinned under her withering horse before he frantically searched the river. 

“There!” Lydia pointed downstream. Derek spotted the Omega clinging to a rock, his paws curled around it with his jaws gaping open. He ran along the bank, barely watching where he put his paws. 

“Hold on” He called but to his horror, his call made the Omega swing his head toward the sound of his voice and his paws slipped off the rock. His head vanished under the waves and Derek dug his claws in as he ran in a desperate effort to move faster. 

“Derek!” Stiles resurfaced his paws churning as the water sped up, forming rapids instead of the calm from upstream. Derek finally glanced ahead to see a rock ledge over the water. He could use that. 

“Just hold on. I’m coming.” He gasped as Stiles was spun in a circle, his swimming becoming weaker as he struggled to keep his head above the water. Derek focused on the Omega as he went under again and jumped the moment he reached the edge of the ledge. The water wasn’t as cold as he thought it would be but the memories of his cleaning by Bishop made his limbs freeze for a heartbeat. Then he opened his eyes to see a tail whip away inches from his nose and he kicked out against the water. 

A strange calm came over him as he caught the tail in his teeth and grabbed at the body with his paws. He slid under and slammed his paws against the rock under him, swimming for the surface. After what felt like forever, they broke the surface. 

“Stiles?” Derek turned his head to peer at his mate who was draped over his back, less focused on getting to the shore and more on making sure his mate was still breathing. The Omega lifted his head and blinked at him with bright eyes.

“You came back, Alpha.” The connection shook as his head fell back down. It was what Derek needed to know. He turned and made for the shore, taking a moment to nudge Stiles head up so his muzzle wasn’t dipping into the water. A rumble came from ahead of them and his heart started pounding. He spun them around in the water, glancing frantically at the rocks around them, all to high to climb onto or get a hold. He felt Stiles lift his head again to look behind them, a low whine came from him when he saw the sudden end to the river.

“No no no” Derek felt the river carrying him back faster then he could ever move forward. He struggled until he felt the light-weight felling of falling and spun, trying to get a hold on his Omega but Stiles had slipped, tumbling from his grasp. “Stiles!” Derek screamed as the Omega’s limp body hit the bottom of the water fall. He was a second behind him. 

Everything was dark, the water throwing him about. He couldn’t see which way was up. He wasn’t completely sure he even knew where his paws ended up. He did know his mate needed him. He focused on their weakening connection and scrambled toward it. A light flickered above him and he burst out of the water. Coughing out what he had swallowed, he spotted a fallen log stuck on some rocks and managed to get over to it, throwing a leg over it so he didn’t sink under again. 

“Derek?” Stiles voice croaked out and he jerked up. Straight ahead of him was the wolf, sprawled out in the shallows. Derek pulled his aching body over the log and splashed over to him. The Omega lifted his head but his once bright eyes were now dull and his head dropped back down. Derek just managed to catch it before it fell back into the water. 

“You’ll be fine. I’m here. I’m so sorry.” He murmured. He lowered Stiles head onto the ground before grasping his scruff in his jaws. “I’ll take care of you.” He soothed as he dragged him out of the water and up the bank. He cringed at every whimper that came from him as he jostled his body. 

“I know, Alpha” Stiles tilted his head back and brushed their muzzles after Derek settled him down. The collar rubbed against his neck painfully and he curled around the shivering Omega. He lapped at his fur, trying to dry him off and warm him up while pressing closer. “My chest hurts.” 

“Where exactly?” Derek gently rolled him and failed to hold in a howl of grief. There was a bullet wound. It wasn’t healing like a normal wound, so it meant there was something on it to work against the healing process. Blood leaked from the hole and he quickly cleaned it the best he could. He hated the taste of his mate’s blood on his tongue but he couldn’t just leave it. 

Stiles fell into an uneasy sleep and Derek pressed against his side. He needed help, but he didn’t dare call attention to them by howling more. He could just hear the hunters in the valley above them, and he didn’t know if there were any friends left alive or free to help. The day waned, and he closed his eyes, praying that his mate would pull through.


	4. Time to be an Alpha.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek gets taken again and he as to find a way to keep moving.

Derek woke at the sound of footsteps. He blinked groggily around before remembering what had happened the day before. Stiles was curled up next to him, his breathing shallow but his eye lids fluttered when Derek nudged him. They were quickly surrounded. Derek struggled to stand but he twisted around so he was hunched over his mate, his paws digging into the mud for balance. 

“There are a couple over here.” A voice called, and the hunters came into view. Derek snarled and snapped his teeth in warning, but they seemed unfazed by him. 

“He has a collar, so he must be trained. Why is he acting so aggressive?” a younger voice came from the back of the pack of hunters and the leader shushed him. 

“He’s trying to protect his pack member. It looks like they went over the falls.” The leader glanced at two of the men trying to flank him and Derek partially lunged at one that was getting to close. He pulled back quickly so he wouldn’t leave Stiles, but he wasn’t fast enough. The second man threw a rope that wrapped around his neck and tugged him to the side. He strained against it before launching himself at him. The first man got a rope around his neck and he was trapped between the two of them. 

“Get him off to the side.” The leader commanded and moved around to Stiles. Derek howled and fought but the ropes held him. There were three men attached to each rope so he was being pulled hopelessly back. 

“Boss?” One of the men panted out as the leader joined him. Derek froze at the sad look on her face. 

“He’s pack mate isn’t going to make it. We’ll just bring him.” She nodded to Derek, who was straining toward his mate in an effort to pick up Stiles heartbeat, his breathing, Anything. Before he could lock on, the men jerked him back. 

“STILES?” He called through their connection but there was nothing. He howled and clawed before grief caused his legs to give out from under him and he was dragged away. The hunters were gentler than the Argents, shooting him with a dart and pulling him onto a horse. They were weary of him but he could sense their sympathy in their sideways glances. He didn’t care. He didn’t even want to return to his home. He didn’t want to think about life without his mate. He hung limply from the horse until they came to a strange track with large carriages on wheels around midday. He was lifted off and they placed him in the carriers with a few wolves he recognized, including the white female and the dark male. The last one was smaller then the other male with soft looking fur of youth.

“Here you go, little one” Derek narrowed his eyes at the women who was closing the door behind them. He could smell the waves of sympathy rolling off her. He limped over to a corner, away from the other wolves and slumped down. He heard the paw steps of one as he tried to get closer, but Derek grumbled, curling up into a tighter ball with his back to them. 

The carriage started moving along the tracks, slowly speeding up until there was a chilly breeze whipping through the slats. The other wolves became nervous around him, all except the younger one, who tried to bring him some food. Derek turned his head away. 

As the day ended, he closed his eyes and thought about nothing, forcing his mind to not think of his Omega or how nothing mattered to him anymore. He slipped into a disturbed sleep, his family calling to him as humans and howling for him to come home as wolves. The echoes of gunshots burst his ears and the wails of the people from the village mixed in with Stiles. He saw the gunshot over and over again, the way Stiles fell into the river. His voice still calling out to him for one last time. 

When he finally opened his eyes it was near dawn. He knew he had to escape and head home. He had to stop the Argents from hurting them. He gave a sniff and sensed the uneasiness from the other three wolves in the cage. 

Shaking his head to get rid of his negative thoughts, he stood and walked over to them. They were curled up in a pile, trying to find comfort and warmth from each other. They watched him as he approached, stretching forward and curling around the edge of them. One made a happy noise and rolled so she had her paws hanging over his back. A larger male snorted as she flopped over so her head was resting on his shoulder. The smaller male, the one that tried to get Derek to eat, tucked himself closer with a shiver. It was snowing. 

“We need to get home.” The smaller male stared out between the slats. Derek took a deep breath and realized that he was surrounded by Betas. 

“We’ll figure it out soon.” He murmured and all the beta’s leaned closer to him. He fell asleep surrounded by warmth, plans of escape running through his head. 

=======================================================================  
When the carriages finally stopped, it was dawn. He approached the door first, the betas spreading out close behind him. He flicked his ears back before swallowing his pride. 

“They think we’re trained to behave, so act nice and try not to attack until we have an opening to escape” He narrowed his eyes at the white female, who huffed at him before dipping her head. He saw the larger male give him a nod and the smaller one press closer before straightening. 

A man opened the doors a crack and peered through, his face questioning as he saw the wolves waiting. Derek flicked his tail against the white wolf when she grumbled at him to stop her. She huffed but turned away. He stepped forward and let the man tie a leash to his collar, walking forward. The human was surprised when the other wolves followed him without needing to be leashed. He chuckled darkly when he scented the fear from the people they passed. They knew he held the power. 

“Take them to the front.” The man in charge called out and they were lead forward. Derek watched as ropes bound in wolfsbane were bound to a chain attached to the front of the thing they were carried in on. 

“They want us to haul the engine?” The small wolf gaped at the massive chuck of metal before snapping it closed, eyeballing the men who were gaping at him. Derek eyed the connections and knew what he had to do, he just needed an opening to break free. There was two lines of wolves, some weres and others just plain wolves but they all watched him. Not one of them was an Alpha. The humans tied him to the front and hooked up with the others at his side. 

“Big guy” Derek hissed, getting the largest wolfs attention. He lifted his head while the white wolf bared his teeth at him. “Got a job for you.”

“Which is?” the wolf finally spoke. He turned his head slightly as he watched the humans but his ears were pricked toward him. 

“Get everyone out and don’t look back.” Derek cringed as a shout went out and heard the crack of a whip. He felt the wolves start pulling and he leaned forward, lending them his strength. 

Bidding his time, they made it half way up the hill before he collapsed. Almost instantly the engine started to roll backward. He remained still as the humans paused the line and ran to his side. The white wolf scoffed at him but the smaller one nudged his hind paw, trying to figure out what was wrong. They unhook him and pulled off his collar. 

“What’s wrong with him?” One of the humans had a hand hovering over his mouth like he was unsure that Derek was breathing. The women from before ran up and didn’t seem bothered as she pressed her hand against his side. 

“His friend died before we came here, maybe his mate.” She guessed, and he lifted his head, locking eyes with her before shifting. He rolled to his feet and grabbed a knife from the belt of the man. He kicked the startled man away and fell back onto his beta form as he ran to where the wolves were connected to the engine. 

“Where the Hell did he come from?” One of the men screamed and shot him. Derek staggered to the side before slashing the binds more. The freed wolves took off and he spun to the second connection. His blood was rushing in his ears and he was breathless as he was shot again. 

“What is he?” another wailed as he waved his hands around, unsure whether to shot again or chase after the other wolves. Derek freed the last of the wolves and his movements became stuttered when he saw the three were’s pause.

“Alpha?” The smallest shifted back so he was crouched at the tree line. The humans swung toward him and the large wolf grabbed the beta, dragging him away. 

“Run!” Derek shouted as he scrambled to get off the engine. It was sliding rapidly down the hill and he shut his eyes as he made his decision. Jumping off, he raced down the hill with inhuman speed and into the small village. 

“Get out! RUN! The train is falling!” He screamed at the people, waving them away and getting their attention. He was running naked through the town screaming so the response was immediate. Once the humans saw what was happening and they bolted as well, adding their calls to Dereks. He grabbed a toddler and tucked it under one arm, slinging her mother under the other as he ran. Spotting a horse, he threw the woman on and handed her the child, getting a swift nod of thanks before she spurred it into a gallop. 

Seeing that there was little he could do as the engine tore through the houses and slammed into another, bursting into flames and pelting those nearest with scrap metal. Derek cried out as his shoulder was hit, knocking it out of place as he fled. He scrambled over a large fallen log and into the forest. He wasn’t sure where he was headed but he knew he had to get free of the fire. He could hear it, smell it ripping trough the trees behind him. The pain from his shoulder from breathing the smoke made his eye sight fade in and out. As he ran past a tree, an arrow slammed into his arm and pinned him to it. Snarling in fury, he turned to see Kate sitting calmly on her horse, watching him despite the fact that her arm was in a sling and the scent of crazed agony was rolling off of her.

“This’ll show you…” She muttered but he barely heard it over the roar of the fire. His arm wasn’t moving so he couldn’t rip the arrow out and free himself. The added wolfbane on it weakening him, he turned to pull it out with his teeth when another arrow rammed into his gut and made it impossible for him to reach it. His dislocated arm was no longer trying to heal itself from the poison in his veins and he let his head fall back. 

This is where he was going to die. He couldn’t escape, and he managed to free the wolves that were captured. That had to be enough because he didn’t have anything left to give. His mate was dead, and he couldn’t protect him. He tried to protect others and instead he set the town on fire. He was a disaster of an Alpha. 

He jerked back when he heard a scream of pain. Kate wasn’t on her horse anymore. The three wolves were there, the female ripping out the hunter’s throat and effectively stopping the squeals. The smallest raced to his side and yanked the arrows from his body, freeing him. Derek slumped against him and stared in shock at the boy. 

“Did you think we would just leave you?” the boy flashed a weak smile as he dragged Derek toward the others. The largest wolf shifted into a young man as well, who picked Derek up with ease and placed him on the horse Kate was riding. 

“Time to go.” He grabbed the reins and tugged it into a run. Derek struggled to hold on as the horse took off. The largest led the horse while the other two shifted back to full wolves and ran along side. He was sure the horse would be terrified of them if it wasn’t for the fire nipping at their heels. 

Derek lifted his head and groaned when he saw the break in the trees. The boy raced straight to it and jumped, dragging the horse over as the other two flew next to them. He felt his grip on the horse loosen as he fell away from him and hit the water. He struggled for a heartbeat, but the darkness overcame him and he slipped away.


	5. Stiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles POV

Stiles whimpered as he sat there. He was exhausted, cleaning up the village and pitching tents in a safer area then before. He had hunted rabbits for the hungry and helped heal the wounded that had made it to the sight. He had to keep busy or he would start thinking about his Alpha. Now he had nothing to do, his friends sending him to his tent to sleep after a long day of work. He knew he wouldn’t, thinking about the last time they saw each other. He knew Derek thought he was dead. Though the memory was vague, like looking through a murky puddle to see the fish at the very bottom, but the fish refused to swim so he could catch a glimpse of the motion. All he recalled was pain and humans dragging his weakened Alpha away from him. 

Scott had found him with a young girl. He helped him shift back and the girl did something with ash, shoving it into the wound from the bullet. It hurt, but it was dulled by the pain of his Alpha being forcibly removed from him. Even after a good meal and two nights of rough sleep, he was still weak, still healing. Which is why he was back in his tent when all he wanted to do was search for his Alpha. The people that took them left the scent of grief, so he couldn’t believe that they would hurt him. 

Then he scented it. His Alpha. Just a wisp of his scent of the breeze and Stiles was suddenly running toward it. His paws beating against the ground echoed in his head as he held in a howl of greeting. The trees flicked past him as he ran, barely seeing as he blindly followed his scent. A snarl made him trip, tumbling head over paws until he rolled to a stop. Derek would never do that to him. He jumped back to his feet and crouched low, trying to figure out what was happening. 

A body slammed into him from behind, throwing him to the side where he collided with another. He yelped in shock but snapped at them to break free. He was rolled onto his back and he struggled to hold his shift, kicking out with his now longer legs and clawing wildly at the fur pelts surrounding him. 

“What did you do to him? Why do you smell like him?” He cried out, trying his best to remain calm but he sobbed when his legs were pinned down. A wolf draped itself across his chest and tucked his arms against his side. “What did….Why do you….Where is he?” Stiles stammered out as a wolf stood above him. He closed his eyes, expecting to feel the teeth against his neck at any moment. He gasped as tears ran down his face, thinking only about how he would now be killed and he would never see his mate again.

“What is your name, Omega?” A voice sounded above him and he peeked open an eye. There was now a human, or a wolf in his human form, crouched above him. He reached a finger out and rolled Stiles head to the side and he remembered the bite mark that was still visible there.

“Stiles” He wiggled slightly against the other wolves to get away from the strange man. “What’s it to you?”

“Why do you smell like that?” The man snapped, and Stiles glared at him. 

“Why do you smell like my Derek?” he shot back just as fast. The man barely showed any surprise, but Stiles could see it in the way his eyes widened, and he leaned back slightly. He felt the wolf over his chest stiffen and the one across his legs start shaking. 

“Your Derek?” He sneered and Stiles bared his teeth. He squeaked when a nose was pressed against his neck from the wolf across his chest and she hopped off. The one on his legs was spread out, a strange noise coming from her. It took him a few seconds to realize that she was laughing at him. He pulled his legs out from under her as she rolled around and tucked them close to his body. The man was naked, as was the woman who appeared, but he had never felt so exposed. 

“What’s going on?” Stiles asked them all in general. Now that he could look around he could see it was just the three wolves. They all smelled similar, so he figured that they were family. The older male and female were looking at him while the youngest was still a wolf, and still laughing at him. 

“Well, he came this way.” The male growled, still looking angry at him. The female dropped to a knee in front of him and sniffed. 

“That’s enough, Uncle.” She shot the smallest glare at him over her shoulder, a hint of bared teeth. “He is in pain, and Derek isn’t here anymore.”

“Derek? You know Derek?” Stiles tried to scramble to his feet but the growls from the three wolves made him sit back down. He was desperate for information.

“Tell me how you know Derek.” She spoke after taking a calming breath. 

“Why? You attacked me, interrogated me, and I don’t even know your names or why you’re looking for him!” Stiles started out calm but ended up shouting at them. He went to leave but the youngest shifted and threw an arm around his shoulders. 

“You’re right, little Omega. I’m Cora, this is my sister Laura and my Uncle Peter.” She waved her hand around and he blinked at the sudden change. “Derek is our brother. He was taken by…”

“The Argents.” Stiles finished. He shuttered, remembering the attack on the camp again and everything that happened to his parents. 

“You know of them?” Peter glared at him but Stiles didn’t care anymore. 

“Can you tell us what happened to my brother?” Cora grabbed his attention and he found himself nodding. 

“We had a friend in the camp get captured by the Argents, so she could break some other friends out, a banshee, and they escaped together.” Stiles started, “Derek got injured and we took him in, but the other Alpha’s in the pack didn’t trust him. I tried to convince them that he wasn’t a threat, so I could take the collar off.”

“The what?” Laura got in his face and he barely managed to not flinch away. He couldn’t look her in the eyes. 

“Alpha are rare around here. They were all taken by the Argents, the Beta’s too.” Stiles sighed, wondering once again why there was such a thing as an Omega. “The remaining Alpha’s feared that Derek would turn them and what Beta’s we had left to the Argents in trade for his own life.” He paused, but they didn’t make a sound, all watching him closely. “He was here. I was trying to help him convince everyone that he could be trusted. Two days ago, the Argents attacked our camp.” 

“Oh no” Cora hissed low and Stiles turned to her, forcing down the lump in his throat so he could continue. 

“I… my friend got captured and I ran to save her. Derek was off in the woods when it happened, but I wasn’t thinking. I got shot and fell into the river. The bullet was laced with something so the wound didn’t heal and I could barely swim cause it was my chest that was hit. Derek tried to pull me out. We went over the water fall. I don’t remember much after that, but some people came. They took him away.” Stiles was crying freely now, thinking back to the pained howls that came from Derek as they hauled him away. 

“Do you know where they took him?” Laura sounded calmer and he shook his head. 

“They took others from our pack but our Alpha’s wont let us go after them. Lydia, the banshee, hasn’t let me out of her sight so I couldn’t sneak away to find him. My breathing is still weak so I’m no match for her.” He wiped his tears away and straightened, opening his mouth to say more.

“NO.” Laura snapped but her hands were gentle when she reached down and lifted him to his feet. Cora bounced up and shifted to his other side while Peter took up the rear as they lead him back to camp. “You are staying here.”

“Please, I need to find him.” Stiles batted at her. She just looped her arm through his and Cora grabbed his other. 

“Why?” He saw that he could get nothing from the girls, instead shooting his best puppy-dog look over his shoulder at the uncle. The man was no longer aggressive and softened even more when he locked eyes with him.

Don’t take it personally. You’re an Omega that’s…uh, pre-mated to their brother. We all feel like we need to protect you. This is going to be dangerous and you’ve already been wounded.” Peter explained, and Stiles sighed. They weren’t going to let him leave. 

“Lydia!” Laura called as they reached the tents and he glared at her. The banshee skidded around one of the tents with a mixed look of fury and relief. It was gone in a heartbeat. She straightened as Stiles was marched up to her. “Please watch over him so he doesn’t try to follow us. We’re going to find Derek.” Laura and Cora shoved him against her and slipped away at Lydia’s nod. 

“Screw you all” He muttered under his breath, blushing as more people arrived around him. He was lucky that they were so busy watching the werewolves, who didn’t seem bothered about being nude in front of the entire village. They shifted to wolves as they left the tents. 

“Who were they?” Lydia spun on him as soon as they were out of hearing. She didn’t wait for an answer as she grabbed his arm so that her nails dug in and dragged him back to his tent. 

“They’re Derek’s family.” He muttered, frustrated at all the man handling from everyone. He just wanted to find his mate. Lydia followed him into the tent and threw a pair of pants at him. He tugged them on with a glare at her, staggering when his chest shuddered, the excitement making it hard to catch his breath. She reached over and bashed his back, forcing air back into his lungs and making him fall to his knees. 

“This is why you can’t leave on any epic adventures just yet.” She snapped, completely unaware or just uncaring that he was in pain. He slowly stretched out on his back, the day weighing on him. He had been sent to his tent to rest. Instead he ran through the woods chasing after what smelled like his mate, only to be attacked and then shunned back to his tent. On top of it all, since the moment he got the bite on his neck, he needed something from his Alpha.


	6. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek still has to make his way home.

Derek woke with the feeling that he was on fire. For a heartbeat he thought he was actually on fire but his hands brushed fur. Blinking open his eyes, he realized that he was covered in wolves. The beta’s were still fast asleep, all still damp from the dip in the river. He found himself chuckling as he sat up. The smallest rolled off him and stretched awake on his lap. 

“Are you hurt?” He glanced around at the wolves. The female groaned and curled into a tight ball and flicked her tail over her muzzle. The larger one reared his head back and yawned before scrambling to his feet. Derek sniffed and shoved the smaller off. 

“Hunters!” He hissed low and instantly the three wolves were on their paws. Derek shifted and ran, grunting as the other three fell beside him. He ducked when a bullet struck a tree near them and an arrow whizzed by and vanished into a bush. 

“You would pay for what you did to my daughter.” Derek recognized Gerards voice and he glanced over his shoulder to see the man at the front of the group. There were three horses on each side with guns and bows held at the ready. He nearly tripped when he heard a howl rip from the forest beyond the hunters. He threw his head back and answered, calling to his family he was torn from. The hunters started shouting to themselves and he shoved the small wolf to the side, causing them all to veer. Some of the hunters screamed but he was surprised when the horses stayed calm. He flanked the line of horses and took out one of the legs, causing the creature to fall. The hunter collapsed on the ground and was knocked out. 

“Derek!” Cora skidded past him, avoiding a bullet before she jumped forward. He raced along her side as they took out another horse. He could see Laura had already taken out one horse and was dealing with Gerard. His uncle was working with the last two with the help of the other three wolves. 

“Watch it” He called to the others as the horse leaped straight into the air. Then all he could do was focus on their horse. He managed to grab the belt of the saddle and held on, dragging the human sideways. Cora slashed the saddle straps off the horse and clawed at it’s hind quarters to get it moving. The horse took off and Derek pinned the human to the ground. Cora sniffed around at the man and pulled out a small gun with her teeth, tossing it far away. He lifted his head just in time to see Gerards horse collapse from its wounds. Laura tumbled free, but the hunter wasn’t fast enough. The horse landed on the man. Derek wasn’t sure if the scream came from the horse or the hunter. 

“Wait” Derek whipped around when a voice he recognized shouted above him. He saw Chris riding a horse up to them with complete calm. The hunter blinked dully at his fathers body before turning to Laura. “I’m sorry for what they’ve done.”

“What?” Laura reared her head back and shifted to human. If the hunter was shocked at seeing a wolf turn into a furious naked woman who looked seconds away from jumping him, he hid it well. 

“I didn’t know. He told us that you were just wolves, that you weren’t feeling it.” Chris nodded to his father. “I’ve been thinking for a long time that we needed to stop hurting you. When the young one protected the pup, I knew I had to put a stop to it. This isn’t the life I want for my daughter.”

“Then why were they attacking my brother?” Laura leaned back and crossed her arms. 

“They didn’t believe what I was saying, so they came after you because it was your brother that convinced me that it was time. They attacked the camp to get him back and I sent my daughter with the wolfsbane to help cure the wounded, then they came here. The rest of the camp will follow my orders to stop now that they are gone.” The hunter dipped his head and spurred his horse around. “I came to warn your brother, but I wasn’t fast enough. Now, I have to go home and take care of what’s left of my family.” 

“If we see you again…” Laura snarled and the hunter nodded again. Derek watched as he left and let the human up. The other wolves did the same and the remaining hunters grabbed the unconscious one before following the man. Derek watched until they were out of sight, and then tackled his sister to the ground. He felt Cora land on top of him and Peter slam into them. He rolled around with his family before bouncing to his paws, racing over to the three wolves that had helped him. After a few seconds they celebrated with him and Laura made a noise, calling them to move off. He trailed behind until the three wolves gathered around him, then they were running full speed toward home. It took hours but he recognized the little village the three wolves came from when it appeared in the field. He stopped at the top of the hill, unable to move his paws closer when he knew he wouldn’t see Stiles. The three betas paused as well, glancing back at him in surprise.

“Hey.” The largest wolf nudged his shoulder, only nodding down the slope when Derek looked at him. Derek followed his line of sight to see his Omega pelting up the hill. He was down wind, so Derek didn’t catch his scent. 

“Stiles” He muttered and his paws were moving under him without thinking. It took way to long but maybe a few seconds until they collided. Stiles and he tumbled around and landed rough. He rubbed his chin roughly against the Omega’s face and neck, Stiles pressing back just as hard as they both tried to leave their scent on each other. Derek felt his mate shift under him and changed to match. 

“Geez brother” Laura trotted past with a snort but he could reply as he was being kissed. He had his mate. He had his family. He was happy. 

Hours later the entire village set off with his Uncle and Cora leading them to their territory. Derek raced ahead with his mate by his side, Laura on the other and the betas bounding behind. Scott, the alpha from before had apologized for his behavior but remained behind to talk more with the daughter of the remaining Argent. Stiles had cried, making the alpha promise to send word if anything happened and to make his way out before the end of the year before they could leave. 

Derek and his little pack had stopped in the desert to rest and eat, sleeping in a large pile as they made their journey. They made it back to his home in four days, most of the time spent running and joking. Boyd was mostly silent, but he occasionally made a quip that sent Stiles and Erica into fits of laughter. Isaac was still a little shy around Laura, that is until she pinned Derek down and ticked him. Stiles betrayed his trust by joining in, his long fingers finding just the right spots. He could see the need growing in his Omega but they needed to be home first. 

“I smell something.” Isaac stated bluntly and Derek glanced back, thinking that the young wolf had the best nose among them. He flicked his tail in a comforting manner before bursting to a run. A second later he was able to pick up on the smell. His family’s scent markers along the edge of their territory and he howled. Stiles and Laura joined in with no hesitation and soon the betas did the same. He raced along, jumping up the cliff where he was first taken with utter ease and was suddenly surrounded by his pack.

“Derek!” His parents called to him, talking at the same time as they questioned him and he gasped as he was hugged. He let himself breath in their scents as Laura answered the questions with her usual calm attitude and he felt his father drag Stiles into the hug even though he was still scenting him for wounds. 

“And look at you…” His mother trailed off, pulling back as she held his mate out at arm’s length. Stiles blinked shyly but his eyes were brimming with happy tears. “I think you’ll fit right in here.” 

“Thank you” Stiles beamed at her and nodded to the betas, who were hovering in the back. 

“Even more?” Derek shifted quickly so he could talk but Laura was once again faster. 

“This is Derek’s pack. They are the only reason he survived so long and they couldn’t stay where they were, so I told them they could come back with us. We always knew that Alpha’s needed to move to a different territory eventually, and that Derek will be living just South of here on the Preserve.” She waved her hand around and let out a laugh. “He brought an entire village that’s going to be under his care, cause that’s what he does.” Derek opened his mouth to protest but his little cousin, the one he saved took that moment to grab onto him with a wail, hugging him tight as she blubbered about him saving her life. He ducked down, trying to sooth her so he could at least hear what was happening.

“And what are you going to name this village?” His father asked, sounding more amused than anything. 

“Uhh…” Derek shot a panicked look at Stiles, who seemed to be thinking.

“Beacon Hills, because it’s a beacon to all innocent supernatural creatures and humans that living together isn’t a bad thing.” His mate supplies easily and slipped against his side, causing his cousin to move away and give them space.

“I like it.” His mother beamed at them and trotted off to great his betas. 

“Nice save.” He whispered in his mate’s ear, thinking about everything they were going to build together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The END. Please comment. XP

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment. XP


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